With 39 deals made on the first day alone, the NBA free agency market moves fast — as one front office executive put it to me, by the time free agency officially opens on July 1 it is two-thirds over.
Still, on July 5, there are some free agents still available who can help teams — and at positions of need. There are not great all-around players left on the board, but there are players who can fit into a bench role and be valuable. Here are the top 10 free agents still available as of the morning of July 5:
1) Kelly Oubre Jr.
He missed the first part of last season due to injury (he only played in 48 games) and then returned to a Charlotte Hornets team whose season had already fallen apart, Oubre is kind of a forgotten man. However, when he did return he scored 20.3 points per game. Oubre isn’t an efficient scorer nor a lock-down defender, but slotted in the right role off the bench he can get buckets and help a team. He can be a quality sixth man. Considering what teams have left financially around the league, someone will likely land Oubre on a steal of a contract.
2) P.J. Washington (restricted)
He’s stuck in the restricted free agent trap, worth more than he’s likely to get because — at this point, with how much money is available on the market — whatever offer another team makes Charlotte will just match. So it’s hard to see an offer coming.
He is what every team wants in a four who can defend in the paint, protect the rim, then space the floor on offense (his 3-point shooting dipped to 34.8% last season, but he is better than that). Washington feels on the cusp of a breakout to another level, making him a steal at whatever number he and Charlotte ultimately settle upon.
3) Grant Williams (restricted)
Boston is looking for a sign-and-trade to get something back for Williams, who had a role with the Celtics but fell out of coach Joe Mazzulla’s rotation (inexplicably, considering some of the playoff matchups), and the addition of Kristaps Porzingis leaves Williams on the outside looking in. Some team will come in with a mid-level exception offer, the Celtics will threaten to match, and a trade will be worked out (but Boston is not getting a first-round pick in this deal).
Williams can defend wings, forwards and centers, plus knock down an open 3, which gives him real value in most systems. He averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds a game last season and hit 39.5% from 3. There are natural fits in Atlanta, Dallas and other teams, someone is going to step up and make a run at Williams.
4) Christian Wood
Wood can get buckets. He averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds a game last season for the Mavericks, and he shot 37.6% from 3. However, he faded from Jason Kidd’s rotation as the season wore on because of his lack of defense (and a thumb injury, which had him out for weeks). He can play the four or the five and in a bench role would be a good fit for a team — and he is the best big still clearly available on the market. Teams know what they are getting with Wood and so long as the role is “come off the bench and go rack up points,” he can absolutely help a lot of teams.
5) Mattise Thybulle
Thybulle is a two-time All-Defensive Team player who remains very good on that end of the court but needs to go to a team that can live with his limited offense. That said, he’s absolutely got a role to play for a good team. Thybulle made some strides last season on offense — 36.5% from 3 and fewer ugly turnovers — but teams will not defend him and will dare him to shoot. A team looking for a quality defender on the wing should pick him up.
6) Paul Reed (restricted)
He has shown he can be a quality big man off the bench and is a fan favorite in Philadelphia — and with the analytics crowd — but it’s never led to numbers on the court. Reed averaged 4.2 points and 3.8 rebounds a game last season in Philly in 11 minutes a night, and he can handle a bigger role than that. He’s stuck in the restricted free agent trap — the teams that might want to bring him in are not going to make an offer the 76ers would not just match, so teams don’t bother. He’ll re-sign with Philly on a contract that could be a steal.
7) Jaylen Nowell
This may be too low a ranking for Nowell, who played for four years in Minnesota on a minimum contract but last season averaged 10.8 points a game in 19 minutes a night off the bench for the Timberwolves. He’s not a great defender, but as a bench guard getting limited minutes (15 or so a night) he can be a good fit as a scorer (if he wants more minutes he has to become a better 3-point shooter and more efficient overall). There’s a role for him on the right team.
8) Hamidou Diallo
He was on the worst team in the NBA last season, got about 17 minutes a game, and the Pistons decided to move on from him. That is not a good sign. He can’t space the floor as a shooter (23.8%) but can slash and get buckets, and is pretty efficient around the rim. However, he is long and an outstanding defender, and in the right system he can help a team on that end of the court.
9) Ayo Dosunmu
He had a breakout rookie campaign that showed promise in Chicago, then he took a step back last season (he wasn’t ready for the role and minutes given him with Lonzo Ball out in Chicago). Still, he is a quality defender at either guard spot and has shown he can hit the 3, if not consistently (career 34.4%). Some team should take a flyer on him, the cost is low and he can be a solid rotation guard in the NBA.
10) Terrence Ross
He had some moments after coming over the Phoenix in the buyout market last season, averaging 9 points a game in 19.8 minutes a night off the bench. He can hit the three, but he would have a limited bench role wherever he lands. That said, Ross could be a solid fit on the wing for win-now teams looking for veteran depth in that bench role.
